New Mexico Navajo Nation

This is a discussion on New Mexico Navajo Nation within the Law Enforcement, Military & Homeland Security Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; This is what transpired on a segment of ‘Navajo Cops’ on Nat. Geo. Channel this PM.
Tribal Police pulled over a speeder near Shiprock, NM ...

New Mexico Navajo Nation

This is what transpired on a segment of ‘Navajo Cops’ on Nat. Geo. Channel this PM.

Tribal Police pulled over a speeder near Shiprock, NM – an area governed by the Navajo Nation in northwest New Mexico. The man had a handgun visible on the front seat of the car. He was searched, back up was called and the car was searched both visually and by a K-9. Nothing else was discovered.

The handgun was an old Russian 9mm with a loaded magazine as well as one in the chamber. An officer dropped the magazine and cleared the chamber.

The narrator stated that the man was required to inform the Tribal Officer of the presence of a firearm upon initial contact and that the firearm could not be transported loaded. The narrator did not say if the person did or did not have a Concealed Carry license.

The man was traveling from his home in Utah to his mining job near Farmington, NM. He said he had the handgun for protection while traveling. He was cooperative, questioned and not cuffed.

Police asked him were he got the weapon to which he replied in a FTF transaction about 12 years prior. They asked him for a receipt of proof of ownership, which he did not have. They confiscated the weapon and the narrator said the gun would be returned upon proof of ownership.

When informed that the weapon would not be returned, the man said; "I guess I really don't have any other choice."

Only three Tribal Police were shown in the segement. He was ticketed, released and continued on his way minus the handgun.

The narrator stated that tribal police did not have the authority to arrest a non-tribal citizen. If necessary, he would have been turned over to local State authorities.

"He went on two legs, wore clothes and was a human being, but nevertheless he was in reality a wolf of the Steppes. He had learned a good deal . . . and was a fairly clever fellow. What he had not learned, however, was this: to find contentment in himself and his own life. The cause of this apparently was that at the bottom of his heart he knew all the time (or thought he knew) that he was in reality not a man, but a wolf of the Steppes."

Proof of ownership = in my possession and not reported stolen. Firearm registration is not existent in his state of residence. Unfortunately some tribal cop will take it home as a war trophy when he doesn't decide to spend the money to get a lawyer and fight for his weapon back because it will cost more than the weapon. I am disappointed that federal police did this. Shame on them.

The tribal system is old and busted. They need to dissolve it and move on as US citizens OR we can wall them in and they will need passports to come in and out and start paying taxes like the rest of us. I am sick of the free ride system for people just because our ancestors did something bad to them.... why am I not getting a free ride from all the European nations that conquered my ancestors home countries and forced them to immigrate here? I want my free money too. Oh wait, I'd rather work and make my own way in the world like a man.

Concealed is concealed. Even in the car, it doesn't need to be visible. This sounds like a shakedown on a public highway. Possession is proof of ownership in this case. The only time the "Nation" can rip you off is on tribal land, tribal roads, or their casinos.